2 posts from February 26, 2014

February 26, 2014

I've covered this beat through several UM deaths, all of them horrible.

Linebacker Chris Campbell died at age 21 in a one-car accident in Coral Gables in 2002, a month after the National Championship victory against Nebraska. He developed an infection in his knee before the bowl game and couldn't play, and I can still recall him sitting there disappointed a few days before the bowl game, talking to me in a daze. And I can also still remember visiting the people who owned the house in Coral Gables -- outside of which he barrelled into a huge tree and died from head trauma. He was found to be under the influence of alcohol. Tragic.

DAY OF SORROW AND SHOCK: 'I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S GONE'

BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN, sdegnan@herald.com

Ed Wilkins got the call from University of Miami offensive line coach Art Kehoe at 9 a.m. Saturday. He immediately began to weep. "I broke down," said Wilkins, a lineman who learned from Kehoe that teammate Chris Campbell, a senior linebacker, was killed when the car he was driving slammed into a tree near campus at about 4 a.m. - three hours after Wilkins saw him for the last time at CocoWalk in Coconut Grove.

"I can't believe he's gone." Nor can his teammates and coaches, who were told Saturday through a chain reaction of phone calls, or in person by head coach Larry Coker, that the 21-year-old Campbell, of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, was dead. "He was a beautiful kid," Kehoe said. "And I send out my prayers to his family. To see someone like that get his life snuffed out. . . . You realize how precious life is and how lucky we are to have each other."

Safety Al Blades died in March of 2003, also in a car accident following a birthday celebration -- his 26th. His death was especially shocking. I got the call at home and was sick about it. This is the start of the story I wrote about Al, a really funny, kind of wild guy whose older brothers starred at UM (including 1987 Jim Thorpe Award winner Bennie, now in the College Football Hall of Fame):

"Former University of Miami football player Al Blades - the gregarious, well-loved free safety whose fiery play and funny personality inspired his coaches and teammates - died early Thursday after the car in which he was a passenger struck a bridge abutment and plunged into a canal. Blades, father of a 3-year-old son, Al Jr., celebrated his 26th birthday Wednesday.

"The driver of the car, which witnesses told police was racing with another car on Northwest 22nd Avenue in Miami-Dade, was Fort Lauderdale resident Martel Johnson, 26, a nephew of Blades' brother-in-law. Blades was transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to Parkway Regional Medical Center in North Miami Beach, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 2:37 a.m. "He was a drowning victim," Parkway spokesman Drew Landmeier said. "There was nothing we could do." Blades' father, Frederick Blades, 66, was admitted to Parkway when his blood pressure skyrocketed upon arriving with his wife, Rosa, to identify their son. He was in stable condition Thursday night and expected to be released today. "I want everybody to know," said Blades' brother, Bennie, "that there were two things Al loved in this whole world while he was here - his family and the University of Miami. I don't care where he went, he'd talk about those two." Said Rosa Blades, 64, who has six other children: "Just ask everyone to pray for us."

And on Nov. 7, 2006, the lead to my Bryan Pata story: "A University of Miami season of tumult turned horrific Tuesday night when Hurricanes defensive lineman Bryan Pata was shot and killed at his apartment complex in Kendall. "He was shot in the head," Miami Central coach Anthony Saunders said Tuesday night. "He is dead."

I remember writing the story and driving with our photographer out to his apartment complex, and all the stories in the aftermath. The case, ruled a homicide, is still unsolved.

Dozens of former University of Miami football players and coaches converged in Miami on Monday to remember Sean Taylor, their fallen teammate and UM brother who died last Tuesday from a gunshot wound.

"Bryan Pata, Kevin Everett, Sean . . . We've had it rough recently," said Buffalo Bills wide receiver Parrish, who came to UM with Taylor in 2001. "It's a tough experience for all of us when things like this happen. We're a unit. We're the U. We're family. If something happens to anybody, they've got all our support."

Parrish, accompanied by Chicago Bears sensation Hester, couldn't get over the way Taylor died: in his home, his girlfriend and 18-month-old daughter hiding under the covers in the same room.

"For something like this to happen, and the way it happened -- he was at his house in his bed with his family. It's crazy. It makes you be like, 'Wow.' You have to be careful out there and watch your surroundings. It wasn't like he was at a club or anything. He was at his home. That's the most scary part about it."

I copied this quote from an interview with JoJo in September of 2011, about a month after his baby, Joseph Jr., died.

Q: "Obviously you’ve had a tough time emotionally. How are you doing? It seems like you’ve been strong."

JoJo: "Yeah, I’m handling it very well. Of course I miss my son dearly. Each day I just dedicate coming out here to him. Being around this team, guys, with the support from the coaches and the team, that’s how I’ve been strong. Being here for them and wanting to play for them just helps me to keep going and knowing my son is always with me in spirit, I play for him everyday. I feel like I would never be able to quit knowing he’s with me."

Concluded JoJo: "It's going to be with me every day because it's my creation, so me and his mother, we think about it, talk about it every day. We still have his leftover blankets and everything like that. I carry his blanket with me to every game. I always feel like a piece of him is with me. He was born at a pound, four ounces.''

Will you be coming to any practices? Fun to bring the kids, even if you don't stay the whole time.

Here's the UM release:

Twelve of the Miami Hurricanes’ spring football practices will be open to the public. Miami’s March 28 practice and its first two scrimmages (March 29, April) will be closed to the public. Miami opens spring drills Sat., March 1 with a 9 a.m. practice at Greentree.

A new twist to this year’s spring practice schedule: coaches from the University of Miami, FIU, FAU and the Miami Dolphins have joined forces to host the first annual South Florida Football Festival for high school and youth coaches March 28-29 on the UM campus. Two-day registration is $50 and Saturday registration is $20. Don Soldinger will be the keynote speaker Friday night as he talks about his “Attitude of a Champion”.

The South Florida Football Festival will also include “Fundamental Friday”, a 90-minute demonstration to assist high school and youth coaches and players learn the latest fundamentals and techniques from the 2014 Miami Hurricanes coaches and players.

Saturday, March 29 Scrimmage 1 (12 p.m.), Greentree – Closed to the public

Tuesday, April 1 Practice 11 (9 a.m.)

Friday, April 4 Scrimmage 2 (6 p.m.), Greentree – Closed to the public

Tuesday, April 8 Practice 13 (9 a.m.)

Thursday, April 10 Practice 14 (9 a.m.)

Saturday, April 12 Spring Game (6 p.m.), Sun Life Stadium

The University of Miami has launched the $7 million Football Victory Fund to address the most important needs of the football program. There are a variety of ways to contribute to the Football Victory Fund as well as to Hurricanes Athletics. For more information on how you can donate and details of the pending projects, please call the Hurricane Club at 305-284-6699 or visit umvictoryfund.com. For the latest information on the Miami Hurricanes, follow us on Twitter, @MiamiHurricanes, and check out the official football blog, www.theufootball.com. For the most accurate and up to date information delivered to your phone, download the official Miami Hurricanes app for your Droid or iPhone.FIRST ANNUAL SOUTH FLORIDA FOOTBALL FESTIVAL SCHEDULEFriday, March 288:00-9:30 a.m. Registration (Student Activities Center)9:30 a.m. Welcome & Staff Introductions9:45-10:45 a.m. Offense with James Coley9:45-10:45 a.m. Defense with Mark D’Onofrio11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Chalk Talks by Position12:15-1:30 p.m. Lunch (Student Activities Center)1:45-3:00 p.m. Special Teams with Al Golden: Essentials of the Return Game3:15-4:30 p.m. Offense with Dan Shula, FAU WR Coach3:15-4:30 p.m. Defense with Corey Bell, FAU DB Coach4:45-6:00 p.m. Dinner (Student Activities Center)6:15-7:45 p.m. “Fundamental Friday” at Cobb Stadium8:15-9:15 p.m. Keynote Speaker – Don Soldinger “Attitude of a Champion”9:15 p.m. Coaches SocialSaturday, March 297:00-8:30 a.m. Registration (Student Activities Center)8:45-10:00 a.m. Offense with Steve Shankweiler, FIU Offensive Coordinator8:45-10:00 a.m. Defense with Josh Conklin, FIU Defensive Coordinator10:15-11:30 a.m. Special Teams with Darren Rizzi, Miami Dolphins11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Lunch12:00-2:00 p.m. Miami Hurricanes scrimmage